Layered Tortellini Salad (With Pesto Dressing)

This (GORGEOUS) Layered Tortellini Salad wraps up my posts this week. (My list of dishes I have never tried before.) It's easy to see that I saved the best for last. What an amazing Pinterest find! I have made this salad TWICE in the past week! And each time my family SERIOUSLY "ooh'ed" and "ah'ed" over it. So pretty to look at, and even more delicious to taste! It's safe to say I have found a new favorite for potlucks and parties.

The Finished Dish

I cooked my own chicken for this, but you can substitute with a rotisserie chicken from your grocery store deli. That, combined with pre-packaged pesto, makes for a FAUXBULOUS dish indeed!  Bottom line, this is very simple to put together, with HUGE results! Pesto. Chicken. Tortellini. Fresh veggies. Amazing!!!

Ingredients:

1 (9 oz) package refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 cup frozen sweet peas

2 cups romaine lettuce, torn

1 to 1 1/2 cups julienne (matchstick-cut) carrots

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips

2 Tbs mayonnaise

1/2 cup basil pesto

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves

For Pesto Dressing:

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, pesto, and buttermilk. Let sit in fridge to chill while preparing rest of salad.

For The Salad:

1.) Cook tortellini as directed on package, adding peas during last 4 minutes of cook time. Drain; rinse immediately with cold water. Pat with paper towels to remove moisture.

2.) In a 3 or 4 quart clear bowl, layer your lettuce, carrots, chicken, peas, tortellini, and bell pepper. Top with pesto dressing, garnish with freshly chopped parsley or basil.

Somewhere In The Middle

This is nothing short of AH-MA-ZING!!!

A View From The Top

Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted From: Pillsbury